CHICAGO — Coby White has teased the Bulls with several tantalizing streaks of brilliance this season.
Sometimes the rookie guard’s hot streak lasts only a quarter, other times for a half or maybe a full game. The spurts have remained as unpredictable as they are exhilarating, and as sporadic as they are encouraging, for a player who just turned 20 last week.
White put together the best back-to-back games of his career this weekend, and his 33-point effort Sunday night helped guide the Bulls to a 126-117 victory over the Wizards that snapped a season-worst eight-game losing streak.
It was the second consecutive night White scored 33 points, which matched a career high and made him the first Bulls rookie since Michael Jordan with back-to-back 30-point games.
As the team goals shift toward development this season, it has raised questions about White’s role and whether he could find a spot in the starting lineup. White is one of only three Bulls to appear in all 58 games this season, with Zach LaVine and Tomas Satoransky, but has yet to receive his first start.
Coach Jim Boylen likes White in his current role, in which he can serve as the leader of a second unit depleted by injuries. And when he gets hot like he did Sunday night, he’ll be on the floor with the starters to close the game.
“I’m just focused on getting better. I still get a lot of minutes coming off the bench,” White said Saturday night. “As long as I’m out there on the floor, that’s all I really care about.”
The Bulls led by as many as 25, but the Wizards kept trimming the advantage in the fourth quarter, cutting the lead to seven with about seven minutes remaining. Bradley Beal finished with a career-high 53 points, but the Bulls held on for the win in part because of hot shooting from beyond the arc.
Three Bulls made at least five 3-pointers for the first time in franchise history: LaVine had six 3s and 32 points, Thaddeus Young had five 3s and 25 points and White made five 3s.
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